


In a World Without Enemies

by fraufi666



Category: Political RPF - US 20th c.
Genre: American Presidents, Authority Figures, California, Disney World & Disneyland, Homophobia, M/M, Male Slash, Mild Language, Political Campaigns, Republican, Romance, Suspense, Vietnam War, World War II references, anti-Semitism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2014-11-05
Packaged: 2018-02-24 05:26:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2569784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraufi666/pseuds/fraufi666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>President Nixon longs to get away from the stress of the White House to relaxing, sunny California.  And what better place to unwind than Disneyland? But from all the people he knows, and the very few he trusts, Nixon wants to bring Henry Kissinger on this trip. Kissinger complies, but on a journey far away from Washington, yet a place so crowded, will they be safe and away from the public eye? Or will the press discover this major scandalous secret between two of the most powerful men in the world?</p>
            </blockquote>





	In a World Without Enemies

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This story is a historical AU. Although I have used historical figures and some references based from real events, (e.g Vietnam War, Nixon's presidency) this is entirely a work of fiction. All romantic encounters, events and insinuations are from my imagination. I mean no disrespect to any of the people depicted. I am also in no way politically biased. I do not take credit for the song lyrics I have used in this story “It’s a small world”, which was written by Robert Sherman. Some of the rides may not be entirely accurate, as I have never personally visited Disneyland. I thank all of the lovely friends who have helped me with ideas for this fanfiction, and the Disneyland website for providing me with sufficient information about the attractions within this theme park.

Richard Nixon stood wringing his hands in nervousness. What he was about to do was perhaps even more worrying than losing a presidential election. He had been planning to ask his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger to go out with him for a while, yet he was never able to pluck the courage, let alone able to find a time to speak to him when they were both alone. At first, he thought of ringing him, yet there was always the risk of the recording of his telephone call being leaked over to the press. He paced backwards and forwards madly, but the wait was getting too much for him. He had to ask him now. 

 "To hell with it!" Nixon grumbled as he pushed the door open. 

 Kissinger sat at his desk, but as soon as he noticed Nixon come in, stood up abruptly. Red faced and sweaty, it looked as if the president had some very bad news. He shut the door quickly and walked straight to the desk. 

 "Is there something wrong, Mr President?" 

 "Henry, sit back down." Nixon ordered, feeling even more flustered now that Kissinger was fussing over him. He did not need this right now. It was certainly not doing any favour to his nerves. Kissinger sat down immediately, not wanting to anger his superior. 

 "Is it the press?" Kissinger asked, expecting for the worst "Or the Democrats?"

 "No no, none of those." Nixon said quickly, becoming all too aware that beads of sweat were beginning to drip down his temples. He grabbed a handkerchief and wiped them away hastily. "There is something I need to tell you and it can't wait." 

 Kissinger sat patiently, his eyes calmly peering at the president through the thick frames. He was surprised that none of his assumptions were correct. What could possibly have worked up the president in such a way? 

 "I was wondering..." Nixon began slowly, eyes downcast. He coughed embarrassingly; trying to buy some more time to make his request sound more like a professional arrangement related to government affairs, rather than a romantic date "Well. It's summer and the weather is very good at the moment. California, especially. I'm thinking about visiting Disneyland, just to get in touch with the locals and to get a better chance of winning the next election. Pat and the girls love it there, but they've been so busy and so I was going to ask if you-"

 "Are you asking me out on a date, Mr President?" A small smile cracked on Kissinger's stone-faced expression. He was amused. Out of all the possible scenarios to happen, he would have never expected this one. 

 "I...ah.... NO!" Nixon shouted, sweating nervously and failing to keep the denial out of his voice "I mean yes! I mean.... God damn it, Henry. Just give me an answer." 

 The other man smiled, wider this time. Even though they had been seeing each other for a while, this was the first time in a while that they were actually going to spend time alone together. "Certainly, Richard."

 Nixon felt his cheeks grow hot and his heart thump quickly in gratitude. "Good. It's on next week. Make sure you're here, 7'o clock sharp. We have a long plane trip ahead of us." He spun around, inspecting the walls and ceiling carefully, even running his hands over the back of some of the frames in case there were wires around. "We're not being tapped, are we?" He asked in paranoia. 

 "No, Mr President." Kissinger said. "And even if we were, you know that we'd be able to cut it from the recording, right?"

 "Of course." Nixon murmured. He clapped Kissinger on the back; plastering the best grin he can on his face to hide his nervousness "Good man." He said quickly. But before he was about to draw his hand away, Kissinger had taken hold of it, breaking away Nixon's confidence once more. 

"I'll be there." He said with a smile, still holding his hand.

 Nixon's heart was racing at this point, and for a moment it looked as if Kissinger was going to bend over and plant a kiss on his hand, but instead gave it a firm shake. Disappointment quickly replaced bashfulness and he made his way out of his office, ashamed. It wasn't like he was expecting any intimacy, for he was still so shy about expressing his feelings with him. With the way they had been in the public eye for so long, they had to keep affections to a minimum. Yet even being in the same room with Kissinger made him nervous, and needy for his caresses. There was so much that he wanted but couldn't have, and seeing him there in during meetings was like starving to death. 

  _No_. Nixon thought fiercely _I will not let my feelings for that Jew-boy ruin my presidency. I'm a Republican and I better damn well start acting like one._

 Keeping a straight face, he walked on, using every inch of self-control to prevent himself from turning around and marching back into Kissinger's office. 

 

 All of the days leading up to the date were making Nixon extremely agitated. Why did time seem to fly so quickly whenever there was a fun event, but drag on for an eternity when he was doing the most mundane tasks? As a Quaker, he knew too well that God wasn't on his side for what he was waiting for and felt that this long wait was a way to punish him for his sinful ways.  He sighed, turning away from his paperwork to stare out of the window. No matter how hard he had tried to concentrate, the very thought of spending a whole day with Kissinger would interrupt him. 

 A distant whine captured his attention and an Irish settler was pawing his pant leg. Nixon frowned slightly, knowing that the canine was going to get hair all over his suit. "Now you be a good boy, King Timahoe and don't you get up to any mischief. I need to get this paperwork done." But the dog continued to whine anyway. 

 "God damn it! Isn't anyone feeding the dogs these days?! Christ. I have to do everything myself." He grumbled, reaching into his drawer to give King Timahoe some treats. Yet by then, King Timahoe had lost interest in the treats and bolted out of the room excitedly. Nixon gave up at that point and spent the next few minutes drawing some triangles on his sheets. This time tomorrow he was not going to be stuck in the Oval Office, but sitting beside Kissinger underneath the Californian sun, away from all of the boredom and worries of the White House. It was an experience that was going to be too good to be true, and it was no wonder why he could not seem to find the motivation to concentrate. His heart thumped in anticipation as if he had been waiting for that moment his entire life. He couldn't be any more excited. 

 Away from the camera's eye, he smiled softly at the thought. 

 

 The next morning, Nixon was waiting impatiently outside for Kissinger's arrival. Despite being ten minutes early and dressed sharply, there were dark shadows beneath his eyes. He had not slept a wink since yesterday, being far too giddy to relax properly. He checked his watch for the umpteenth time; frustrated that Kissinger still had not arrived. _Aren't Germans supposed to be punctual?_ Nixon thought in annoyance. _All the years that Kissinger has stayed in the America must have made him lazy_. He decided later on. Just when he was about to tell the pilot that Kissinger was going to be late, the National Security Advisor had strolled into the yard, panting in exhaustion from running so much. 

 "I am so sorry, Mr President. I slept in and I couldn't find any parking close enough. I hope I did not keep you waiting." Kissinger apologised, once he had caught his breath. He took one long look at the president, and his eyes filled with grave concern. "Are you alright, Mr President?"

 "Ya, I'm fine Henry." Nixon lied. He was tempted to just curl up at his feet and sleep, but he had been waiting so long for this day to cancel it to get some rest. "Now, let's catch the jet. Do you have your belongings with you?" 

 Kissinger held up the small briefcase beside him "All the essentials are here." 

 "You travel lightly!" Nixon remarked. "Okay, let's go." He headed towards the jet, Kissinger following close behind. 

 Once seated inside, Nixon struggled to stay awake so he could inform Kissinger about the details of the "campaign" that he had arranged at Disneyland. Kissinger smiled smugly, paying more attention to the way Nixon had mumbled as he was on the verge of falling asleep. It was so different to the paranoid and energetic way he had often behaved. 

 "Richard..." A hand slipped onto Nixon's arm, startling him momentarily. "You haven't had any sleep at all, last night have you?" 

 Nixon was about to deny that he was tired but had to stop himself to yawn. "Okay..." He grumbled, "I was up all night thinking about this trip. Don't you go telling anyone about this, okay? I should have taken my sleeping pills...." 

 Kissinger gave him a sympathetic smile, although secretly he was pleased that Nixon was so excited about spending time with him. "I don't mind if you go to sleep. It is going to be a long plane ride." 

 His heart rate quickened as he took in Kissinger's words and his sweet smile. He was furious that even something so minor was enough to make him as nervous as a high school boy asking a partner on a prom date. But he was so grateful for his understanding. It made him even more thankful to have him by his side, of all people. "It's...it's okay with you?" Nixon stammered, still taken aback by the smile "I may snore though." 

 "It doesn't bother me, Mr President. You should sleep, or you may not enjoy the rides." 

 "Yes...of course! Well...see you later then, Henry." He felt his eyelids grow heavy and let himself sink into the chair as the plane took off. 

 Throughout the journey, Kissinger browsed through some of the paperwork he had brought with him and every once in a while he would check on the sleeping president. Nixon slept soundly, although he was slowly slipping out of his chair with every breath. Quickly, Kissinger pulled the sleeping man back into his chair. For a while, Nixon was still but as soon as Kissinger went back to reading a file, Nixon's head leaned against his shoulder, still sleeping. 

 Kissinger smiled, helping the man into a more comfortable position so that he was sleeping in his lap. It amused him to think of what Nixon's reaction would be once he woke up. But for the time being, Nixon seemed so peaceful and content where he was. He ran his hands through his hair, keeping watch of the relaxed president. Nixon murmured a little bit at the gesture, yet his eyes were closed. Perhaps he was having exciting dreams about Disneyland. It would not be very surprising. Yet there was a possibility that Nixon was enjoying his caresses.  

 Once the plane had landed, Nixon woke with a start. His eyes widened as he realised that he had been lying in another man's lap and blushed as he stood up quickly to straighten his crumpled coat. "Geez, Henry!" He was livid, "What if someone saw us?" 

 "But no one did, Mr President." Kissinger responded calmly, shuffling his papers to put them back into his briefcase.

 Nixon sighed, slowly regaining his composure "Never mind about that. Let's head off to the hotel first." 

 "We're not going to Disneyland yet?" Kissinger sounded slightly disappointed "Are you still tired?"

 "No!" Nixon said quickly, surprised at how concerned Kissinger was. The last thing he needed was to make himself sound like an exhausted old man. "I'm not tired at all. I'm er…very refreshed. But we need to at least put our things away. I don't trust those porters…always getting things lost. Or stealing things! Stupid hippies." He added in a hushed tone. 

 Kissinger followed Nixon to the car, where they were taken to their designated hotel. They had a quick meal before hurrying back to the car to be driven to Disneyland. The same giddy feeling returned and Nixon felt slightly faint from such excitement. As he caught sight of the palm trees through the limousine, he grinned, knowing that it was going to be a wonderful day. But of course, he had no idea how things were really going to turn out. 

 As soon as the doors to the presidential limousine opened, a crowd of people immediately flocked towards the president. "Nixon! Nixon!" the fans chanted, waving at him excitedly. Nixon plastered on the best grin he could, although internally he wanted to shout at them for bothering him. He now realised how much more difficult it was going to be to share a moment with Kissinger alone without other people seeing them. 

 "Hello, folks!" Nixon called out casually, shaking some eager hands. "Just going to Disneyland…” he cursed inwardly, noticing how silly he sounded. But the audience was much too excited to pay attention to what he was saying. 

 "Mr President!" A young man called out, holding a microphone. Nixon clenched his fist. The press should not be allowed on his special day. "Where are Pat and your kids? Is it true that you two are seeking for a divorce?"

 "No no. Pat and I are doing just fine." Nixon responded with a grin, although he was sweating with such denial "Now, if you please excuse us-"

 But the man was insistent and moved the microphone closer to him "How about Vietnam? Why did you plan those secret airstrikes?"

 Nixon turned white; horrified that someone could get hold of such top-secret information straight away. If they knew about his relationship with Kissinger, the press would eagerly devour him like wolves. 

 "No comment!" Kissinger called out, shielding Nixon from view "Now the president would like some alone time. If you do not leave him, I'll call the police."

 The young man backed away quickly, somehow intimidated by the other man's threat. There was something chilling about the National Security Advisor that he could not seem to pick up, but he was not willing to stick around any longer to know. He walked away quickly, the crowd following him obediently, much to Nixon's relief. 

 Nixon turned to Kissinger gratefully and there was a brief silence before he could find the words. "…uh…thank you, Henry." 

 "It's no problem, Mr President." Kissinger responded matter-of-factly. 

 They had made their way through the entrance, purchased their tickets and climbed on board the vintage train at the Disney Railroad. It was still as peaceful and entertaining as the first time he had ridden on it with his family, and the sights had not changed too much. 

 "Ah, look at that view, Henry! It's beautiful." Nixon marvelled. 

 "Yes, it is, Mr President." Kissinger responded dutifully. Yet rather than staring out at the scenery, he was staring directly at him. Nixon felt his cheeks flush in response and not another word was spoken for several more minutes. Even as he tried to refocus on the sights, Kissinger's words had lingered in his mind, accompanied by that longing gaze behind those thick glasses. There was an overwhelming urge to take him by the shoulders and kiss him directly on the mouth, but with all the people around, Nixon knew that it would simply be impossible.

 As the train rolled on, Nixon waved at the people who were calling out and waving happily at the president. The train then went towards the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Flocks of tourists milled about, some waving to Nixon enthusiastically, but most paid him little attention, being more distracted by the sights than anything else. Perhaps he had looked too ordinary, or maybe the absence of his wife and entourage had made him less distinguished. But in a way, Nixon was glad to finally be left in peace. The publicity was always so draining and today was finally a chance to have some time alone in public. 

 "Let's check out the Mad Tea Party ride first!" Nixon said enthusiastically, gripping Kissinger's shoulder roughly to grab his attention.

 Kissinger looked baffled "Mad Tea Party? You mean, like Alice In Wonderland?" from the sound of his voice, it seemed as if he wasn't all that familiar with theme park rides, let alone Disneyland rides. 

 "Yeah! Of course. Why? You've never been on there before?" Nixon asked in disbelief, circling around to the entrance. The queue was already getting quite long, and he wasn't really keen on waiting for a turn. Perhaps they would make an exception to the president…

 "Er, Mr President…the end of the line is-" Kissinger began, pointing to the far end of the queue.

 "Screw the queue." Nixon cut him off "I'm not waiting a whole day for this ride. Let's see if they let us in first." Without a trace of hesitation, he pushed past some of the people. A couple looked shocked, but amazed to see the president at such a close range, but a handful looked angry to be pushed aside. 

 "Coming through!" Nixon shouted, plastering on a smile to calm the crowd "I'm the president!" 

 "Watch where you're going, jerk!" A teenage boy yelled, almost spilling his drink as Nixon struggled to get through the line. 

 The president ignored them. A bunch of hippies were not going to ruin his day. He would make sure of it. Once he was at the front of the line, the operator of the ride had a mix of bewilderment and anger on his face. 

 "Sir…you must wait in the line."

 "Oh, for god sakes." Nixon grumbled impatiently "We're here for an important campaign. Can't you make an exception?" 

 Just as the operator was about to argue back, another Disney worker spotted the fiasco and gave the president a huge smile in recognition. 

 "Dick!" He called, stepping into view. He was an old man with eyes that shone with boyish excitement. "Long time no see!"

 "Lou!" Nixon grinned, turning away from the stunned operator. He had recognised this worker before from his last visit. Lou was a great supporter of Nixon and the Republican Party and had met the family personally. 

 "How are Pat and the girls? Oh! They must be all grown up now. What brings you here."

 Nixon chuckled slightly, hiding his dread for this upcoming small talk "Just fine, Lou, just fine." He turned around to introduce Kissinger "This is Henry Kissinger, my secretary. We're just here for uh…a campaign."

 Kissinger nodded back at Lou calmly, shaking the other man's eager hand. "Nice to make your acquaintance."

 "Anyway!" Nixon interrupted, getting straight to the point "We'd like to have a ride, but that kid is making us wait in that long line. Could you pull a few strings?"

 Lou smiled "I'll see what I can do." And with that, he turned around to speak to the operator. After a few minutes, he returned and signalled the men to follow him to the gate where the operator reluctantly opened the gate. "Have a great time, folks!" Lou added, once Nixon and Kissinger were inside. 

 Kissinger looked around at the cups in curiosity, but Nixon eagerly hopped into the orange teacup. "Come on, Henry!" He called "Get in here!" 

 The other man looked slightly worried and hesitantly sat down beside him in the teacup "Are you sure it's safe?" 

 "If it wasn't safe, we wouldn't be riding on this thing!" Nixon scoffed. "Relax. It's really quite fun." 

 As soon as everyone was seated, the ground beneath them began to rotate before the cups started to spin. Nixon was furiously spinning the wheel in front of them, wanting to get the cup spinning to the maximum speed. Kissinger fell back as the cup made a quick jolt. "Mr President…" His voice was shaky "Can you please slow this thing down?"

 "Are you kidding me, Henry? We're only just getting started!" The president roared, spinning the wheel even faster. The cup whizzed at an astonishing speed and poor Kissinger was clutching onto the edges of the cup so tightly that his knuckles turned white. 

 "Richard! This is too fast!" Kissinger cried, shutting his eyes. As the scenery blurred around him, he was starting to feel dizzy. Never had he experienced a ride quite like this, not even during childhood. "Stop this thing at once!" 

 Nixon laughed, louder this time as he leaned back in the seat, enjoying the speed. "This is better than last time I was here!" He exclaimed happily. But Kissinger was much too focussed on ignoring the spinning to really appreciate his partner's happiness. "Henry? Don't tell me you're scared!" It amused him to see such a serious man become like a timid puppy on such a joyful ride. In fact, it was rather adorable. "Open your eyes, there's nothing to be afraid of!" 

 But Kissinger kept his eyes screwed shut, his glasses slipping off his nose as the wheel continued to spin. The dizziness intensified and he was starting to feel nauseous. "Mr President…I think I'm going to be sick." He whined. 

 As soon as Nixon heard those words, he began shouting out angrily at the operator "Stop the damn ride! He's going to hurl!" 

 To Kissinger's relief, the teacup slowed to a halt and they were walking out of the gates. The National Security Advisor walked slowly, his steps shaky from the ride. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead, desperate to sit down somewhere. 

 "Are you okay, Henry?" Nixon asked worriedly, feeling guilty for causing the other man's discomfort. 

 "I'll be fine, I just need to take a rest." Kissinger panted, sitting down on the closest bench. Nixon reluctantly nodded and sat down beside him, although his eyes were on the many rides surrounding them. They had only been on one ride, which was not enough for a trip to the other side of the country. Nixon was itching to go on all the other rides and seeing the way the queues were filling up so quickly only added to his anxiousness. 

 Kissinger, seeing the way Nixon was looking around forlornly at the rides felt sorry for making him wait. "You go ahead, Mr President. I'll just sit here."

 "I'm not going on those rides without you." Nixon responded grouchily "Ride with me! We'll go on something more relaxing this time. I promise."

 Kissinger sighed and adjusted his glasses. For a moment there was silence as they gazed into each other's eyes deeply and there didn't seem to be anyone else around them. It was as if the world had stopped still for the both of them. Kissinger's lips parted slightly as he shifted forward and Nixon's heart began to hammer in his chest, realising that he was about to kiss him. It was so perfect and he was about to move towards him...

 But a yell by a couple of children broke the silence. Kissinger moved back and cleared his throat, addressing him coldly as if nothing had happened. Nixon's face fell and he frowned at the rude interruption during such an intimate moment. But to his dismay, it wasn't like they were bound to get away with a kiss like that in public without the press finding out.

 "Very well." said Kissinger quietly, continuing from where they had left off "You lead the way." 

 They walked through the resort, trying to avoid any large crowds. The Californian sun was still so high in the sky and it was becoming much too warm for Nixon's liking. Nevertheless, he kept the coat on, pausing once in a while to wipe sweat his forehead. Perhaps there was another ride that could get them well away from the heat. 

 After a while, they reached the Monorail*. It was one of Nixon's favourite rides, and he was looking forward to riding it again with Kissinger. The other man stood patiently as he reached into his coat for the ticket. "We're going on this one!" Nixon announced, fumbling through the pocket. But his expression quickly changed from excitement to horror as he realised that the ticket was no longer present. He began to search his pockets, but it still couldn't be found. _No!_ Nixon thought in panic _not before my favourite ride!_

Kissinger looked puzzled "Is there something wrong, Mr President?"

 "It's gone!" Nixon cried, checking his coat pocket once more "The ticket must have flown out of my pocket while we were on the teacup ride! God damn it! I wanted to ride on the Monorail again! This can't be happening!" He was sweating, practically hysterical. How could luck be so unkind to him, right when he was taking a break from all the stress of the White House?

 The other man reached into his pocket to produce his own ticket "If you want to ride it, you can use my ticket. I can sit out on this one."

 "No..I can't accept it." Nixon said in refusal "It's yours, and anyway I don't want to ride it alone. We must find the ticket!" He walked around; tracing back his steps to the last ride. Kissinger followed tiredly, also keeping an eye out for it. They went back to the Mad Tea Party ride and looked around the area, but the ticket was nowhere to be found. "Where the hell is it?!" Nixon exclaimed in exasperation, "We've looked everywhere!" 

 "Wait a minute, Mr President." Kissinger began

 "No, I don't want to give up on this! I'm not a quitter and I will not let this missing ticket ruin my day! We must search again!"

 "Richard…" Kissinger said in a louder voice, pointing to Nixon's feet "There's one place that you haven't looked yet." Sure enough, from underneath the president's shoe, the ticket was stuck to the sole, completely unharmed from all the walking. Baffled, Nixon lifted his foot and picked up the ticket. Amazed, he turned back to Kissinger. "How did you see it?" He gasped.

 Kissinger smiled "I guess after all those years of working with you, I've become sharper." 

 Nixon felt his cheeks burn and he quickly turned away to hide his bashfulness. "Of course…" He muttered.

 As soon as they returned back to the Monorail, the queue had extended significantly. Nixon sighed. There was no way that they could have time to ride on all the other rides if they had to wait for this one. Wearily, he turned to face Kissinger, squinting as the sun shone directly into his eyes. He could do with something to cool him down whilst they walked for the next rides, "Do you want to go get some icecream?" He asked.

 "I'll have some if you will." Kissinger replied, completely unfazed by the heat. It confused Nixon as to how he could seem so calm even after that frantic ticket search. 

 They walked through the park, keeping an eye out for any icecream shops. A costumed Donald Duck stood nearby waving at the visitors. A few children ran up towards him, asking for hugs. Nixon looked back at the children and for a moment he started to think about Tricia and Julie, his two daughters. He was wondering what they were doing at the moment and how they were dealing with the media and their father's absence. It was selfish to leave them home with Pat, but lately they seemed to be far too busy to go out to Disneyland. 

  _Maybe they just don't want to spend time with me._ Nixon thought miserably I've been far too busy to ring them. _Pat probably hates me now. Just like everyone else._

"Richard…" A voice broke the negative train of thought. Nixon's attention flitted to his National Security Advisor.

 "Oh sorry Henry.." Nixon muttered as he took out his wallet "Which icecream flavour do you want?"

 "There's no need to pay for me." Kissinger said quickly, but Nixon ignored him. "There are heaps of flavours here." He said, gesturing at the menu above "I'm probably going with a chocolate. What do you want?"

 "Spearmint will do." came the reply. Nixon voiced the orders to the vendor and as quickly as possible, received the two cones. The icecream vendor gazed back at the two powerful men of the nation in awestruck eyes as they walked away, consuming his icecreams. 

 "This hits the spot!" Nixon exclaimed, licking the sweet, cold dessert approvingly. "Gee, I haven't had icecream this good since I was a kid! Henry, how are you going with yours?"

 "Very delicious." Kissinger replied in appreciation, taking a few small licks at the icecream. Whilst Nixon devoured the icecream almost instantaneously, cone and all, Kissinger was still slowly consuming his own. There was still quite a lot of icecream left, and he hadn't even nibbled into the cone. 

 "Henry, if you ever need help finishing that-" Nixon joked.

 Kissinger handed the cone straight to him.

 "No no, I don't want it." Nixon interjected, pushing the cone away "It's yours. You eat it." 

 The other man stared at the cone, as if confused as to how to eat the icecream. Now that he gave his childhood more thought, he could not remember the last time he had eaten icecream like this, or whether he had eaten icecream at all. Only memories of fear remained from a war-torn country far away. Blue eyes stared into space absently behind the thick frames as the icecream continued to melt. 

 "Henry?"

 Kissinger's eyes were back on the president "Sorry, were you saying something?"

 Nixon chuckled "No, but you might want to finish eating that icecream before it melts into your hand."

 Kissinger looked back at the cone and made some effort to eat faster. They were now walking up to Fantasyland. 

 "Hey! That ride looks like fun!" Nixon remarked, pointing over to where Autopia was. Several cars sped through the tracks, whilst laughter from children and adults alike filled the air. "What do you say, Henry? Want to take one of those cars for a spin?" 

 Fortunately the queue was not as long as expected and the two men only had to wait a little more than five minutes for a turn. Once they had entered into the gates, Nixon immediately jumped into the seat of a dark red car and seized the wheel. Kissinger stood hesitantly, realising that there was very little room for him to sit inside.

 "Um..Mr President…I might need to sit in another car. There's not enough room." 

 But when he turned around to look for another car to sit down in, the other people were already seated in the rest of the cars. Nixon tooted the horn. "You're getting in, or what?"

 Kissinger awkwardly sat down beside him. The car was extremely cramped and small for two grown men, yet in such tight conditions, he could feel his thigh pressing against Nixon's warm thigh. The president looked slightly flustered at the contact, but nevertheless, did not seem reluctant to move. Secretly, he enjoyed being so close to him, knowing that this was probably the closest they had ever been in public. It was what had made the ride so comfortable. 

 As soon as they were able to drive, Nixon sped straight through the track, laughing madly. Kissinger kept a hand on his glasses so that they wouldn't fall off. 

 "Mr President! This isn't a race!"

 "Of course it is! Everything is a race. And I'm going to win it!" Nixon shouted, clenching the wheel fiercely as he swerved dangerously close to another car nearby. A teenage couple sat inside and the boy gave a finger to Nixon in disgust. 

 "Too bad, hippy!" Nixon chuckled, and was just about to speed away, when the boy slammed his car against Nixon's. 

 Kissinger looked back at Nixon in alarm. "I think we better leave them alone." he said reasonably "We don't want to get on their bad side."

 "Who cares, we're already on their bad side!" Nixon growled, pushing the accelerator down. Kissinger hung on the car as they drove at a high speed. It was fruitless telling him to stop. Once the president was driven, he refused to give up. He had seen him behave in this manner once before, such as the time when he refused to back down from the golfing tournament with Ted Kennedy. It was as if a fire had sparked inside him, yet attempts to extinguish it only made the flames burn more fiercely. 

 A cool breeze swept through the track and Nixon felt more relaxed than he had ever felt for a long time. He had begun to appreciate the view around them. The branches of the numerous surrounding trees trembled slightly in the wind, the sky above them, a perfect blue. He started laughing, louder this time and Kissinger gazed at him lovingly as he flashed his white smile and the way his dark, paranoid gaze had simply disappeared in that carefree moment. It was truly remarkable how this angry and serious facade could just fall whilst in the happiest place in the world. 

 But suddenly the car with the two teenagers reappeared again, very close to overtaking them. Nixon cursed under his breath and hit the accelerator, yet to his annoyance, the car was not getting any faster. 

 "We're running out of gas!" Kissinger gasped, indicating to the gas meter. As he gestured, his hand briefly touched Nixon's, causing the president to accidentally swerve into another car that was starting to overtake them. 

 "Jesus, Henry! Look what you've done-" He exclaimed, when suddenly a third car overtook them.  "Cocksucker!" He shouted, hammering the horn angrily with his fist. 

 "Look out, Mr President!" Kissinger called out, pointing at the wall that they were now heading straight towards. Fortunately, Nixon was quick enough to steer them back on course, but by then the gas supply was almost depleted. 

 Once the mechanic had arrived to refill the car, Nixon was too discouraged to climb back in. They walked out of the place and back through the crowded path again. There was still time for another ride, yet from being cheated out of his chance for victory, Nixon was no longer in the mood to go anywhere that was remotely competitive. The Monorail would have been perfect to ride on instead, yet he wasn't sure if the queue would still be so long. 

 Reading his thoughts, Kissinger began to walk in the direction of the Monorail. 

 "Where are we going?" Nixon asked in confusion.

 "I'd like to have a look at this Monorail, Mr President. It is, after all inspired by a railway system of my country." 

 Nixon's jaw dropped. Of course! He had almost forgotten about the information that Walt Disney himself had given him about the ride during its opening. How could he be so selfish in putting his own needs first? If Kissinger desired to go on the Monorail, then he would make the effort to wait in line with him. 

 "Well, let's get back to the vintage train!" Nixon suggested, "It'll be quicker than walking all the way back there." 

 "Good thinking, Mr President."

 As expected, the train ride did not take very long and they were back to where the Monorail was. Nixon reluctantly stood in the line with Kissinger, which was slightly shorter than before. 

 "You know, I helped open this ride." Nixon said proudly, breaking the silence between them.

 "Yes, I was aware of that, Mr President. I saw you in the papers with your family." 

 Nixon could not believe his ears. "You…you saw me?" He gasped. Suddenly all these questions came into mind, and he wanted to ask them all. But he had to be careful, for he did not want to bring up anything that happened in Germany. He swallowed. “What did you think?" he asked nervously, like a child wanting approval from their teacher. 

 "I found it really quite fascinating." Kissinger responded calmly "I did not know that presidents were involved in these sorts of matters." But as his said this, his eyes grew sad, for memories of his own government resurfaced once more. Nixon noticed this sadness, and before he had wanted to quickly apologise, the operator call out to them.

 "Step right up gentlemen!" The operator was a smaller, cheery looking man with a face red with joy "And…a big warm welcome to our president of the United States!" 

 Nixon chuckled nervously, taken aback by the announcement. But he was pleased that the other people in line started to clap for him. "Thank you, thank you." He said, beaming at them "Hope you all have a great day here in California." 

 The crowd cheered, clapping more wildly this time. At this point, Nixon just wanted to go on the ride without having to engage with the crowd any longer. He already had to do that on a daily basis, and this was meant to be the day when he could get away from it all. 

 "This way." The operator said, guiding them to the Monorail.

 Nixon was pleasantly surprised to find that the Monorail hadn't changed a bit since the last time he had sat inside it. The seats were still as new as ever and once they had put on their seat belts, the ride whisked through the rail effortlessly. Nixon admired the scenery, noticing that it was even more breathtaking now that they were higher up. Kissinger too, silently appreciated the engineering of the ride, but also enjoyed the landscape. The people beneath them were like ants now, and it was so strangely captivating to see the park at such an angle. Perhaps this was why Nixon had enjoyed the ride so much. It made him feel powerful and on top of the world. Kissinger had to admit to himself that it was much better than any train ride that he had been on before.

 But even though it looked as if Nixon was looking at the view, he would steal a few glances at the National Security Advisor. Seeing how intrigued the other man was with the ride brought a smile to his face. Perhaps he too, had favoured this ride above all the others. And as he briefly watched him, he wished that the ride could continue like this forever. Without all the children and parents onboard, it would have been even more perfect. 

 But inevitably, the Monorail came to a halt. Nixon and Kissinger made their way back to the vintage train, which dulled in comparison to the Monorail. The train took them down to the New Orleans Square.

 "This place looks interesting." Kissinger remarked, pointing to the Haunted Mansion in the distance. Only a small crowd was lined up in front of it, compared to most of the other rides. "Do you want to go?"

 Kissinger did not have to ask twice. Immediately, Nixon joined in the queue. Once the operator took their tickets, he smiled and shook his head at the president. 

 "Why? Are you surprised to see me?" Nixon said with a grin. It was a possibility that he was a Republican in astonishment, or a Democrat in disgust. Yet it meant little to him, for he knew that so many had disliked him greatly. 

 "Yes." replied the operator, handing back the tickets "I'm surprised because I didn't realise that our _Treasured Guest*_ would be so interested to come into the Haunted Mansion. Now gentlemen, please move to the right and follow the rest of the group." He instructed. 

 Nixon's heart thumped in pride. A treasured guest? He did not expect there to be so much admiration for him. Did word manage to spread that the president was paying a special visit to Disneyland? But the thought also made him slightly anxious. If they were quick to recognise him, there was a possibility that they would soon recognise Kissinger and start to ask questions. At this thought, he hastened his pace into the mansion, Kissinger following after him closely. As they ventured further inside, their surroundings became darker. 

 "Take your seats everyone!" A voice called out. Nixon looked around, yet the speaker was completely out of view. From under the dim light, a buggy was waiting for them. They climbed inside, both curious as to what was about to happen. It was certainly very different to the other rides, and fortunately away from the heat outside. "Put on your seat belts!" The voice instructed. Nixon frowned, unused to being given orders by something that he couldn't even see, but obeyed. 

 Slowly, the buggy began to start. Already the kids behind them were gasping, yet Kissinger sat back, slightly bored. The room became darker and around them, cobwebs were strung. 

 Suddenly, a flash of white stunned Nixon before disappearing into the gloom. Nixon jolted, shocked at the sudden appearance of the ghost. But Kissinger remained unaffected. He was more focussed on the architecture of the building itself and how this ride was constructed. The buggy journeyed through one room to the next, and for a while there was nothing to be seen but just as Nixon thought that he could relax, laughter filled the air. A malicious poltergeist floated above them, before shooting straight down into the buggy. In fright, Nixon clung onto Kissinger's arm, suddenly frightened about being left alone in such a spooky, unsuspecting place. 

 The next room the buggy took them was one that was lit by a dozen candles. "Good evening..." A woman's voice chuckled, as a pale apparition had flown at the side of the buggy. Nixon gasped, sweating now as she hung behind them, smiling deviously. "Please…don't leave on my account."  

 "We…we have to get out of here…" Nixon stammered, before a door a few feet away had flown open. Misshapen shadows lined the walls, and a mouth opened to reveal several long, sharp teeth. Three more ghosts flew out, encircling the candles before all were blown out. "Ah!!" 

 They were plunged into pitch darkness as the buggy rolled on. "BOO!" A voice boomed, before a greenish ghost jumped out from the shadows. Most of the passengers shrieked in unison, and Nixon clung to Kissinger's arm tighter, shutting his eyes. 

 "You're not scared…are you?" Kissinger whispered teasingly. All Nixon could see was the faint shine of his spectacles. A cool breeze blew against their faces, before another ghost shrieked hysterically, dancing madly in the air.

 "Christ!" Nixon cried, falling back in his seat. A hand landed on his and he was about to leap out of the buggy in fright. 

 "Shh…" A voice hushed from close beside him. Contrary to his expectations, it was no apparition. "It's okay…you're safe. You're safe. I'm here, Richard."

 Nixon was shaking so much that the hand gave his own a squeeze for comfort. He was embarrassed by how clammy his hands were getting, yet the soft, warm hand never moved away. It held his for the rest of the ride, and even though the rooms began to stretch bizarrely before them, and the ride got slightly bumpier, Nixon was not as frightened. A wall burst open to reveal a secret room, to which the buggy rode directly into. With that, the wall slammed behind them and the buggy took a steep turn downhill through many different chambers. More ghosts jumped out from behind clocks and furniture, briefly shocking Nixon but they did not have as much of a paralysing effect as the earlier ones. 

 The buggy continued into what had appeared to be a large, grand ballroom. Mist poured from the ceiling, although it did not completely obstruct the view. Ghosts circled the chandelier, causing the many jewels to shake in response and several more were dancing together in the flickering light. Many disembodied skulls floated. A headless apparition sat at the organ, playing an intricately composed piece that caused the ghosts to twist and turn in rhythm. It was so grotesque, but a wonderful sight that Nixon was really not all that used to. There was an odd chattering, and at first it was thought to just be the keys on the piano. But on second glance, Nixon realised that it was the skulls that were opening and closing their jaws to the music. It was so eerie to see, that Nixon felt himself sweat again. But Kissinger's hand on his own calmed him down slightly. 

 Finally, once the buggy went into the graveyard and towards the end, Nixon was not all that frightened. But just when he thought it was all over, three ghosts glided from some of the tombstones, all at completely different directions. They got closer and closer to the buggy and they were practically almost engulfed in mist until around them, it was starting to get brighter and the smoke dissipated. A final laugh echoed in the yard and then it was all over. 

 Shakily, Nixon climbed out of the buggy. But Kissinger looked disappointed, as if he had expected far more from the ride than what they had experienced. He checked on his colleague, who appeared rather embarrassed by the whole ride. 

 "We won't speak of this again." Nixon said in determination, wagging a finger at the National Security Advisor. But despite the confidence in his tone, his eyes were still filled with horror. 

 "Of course not." Kissinger replied quietly, a smile curling on his lips. Perhaps the only really entertaining thing out of the whole ride was the reaction of the most powerful man in the world. He loved seeing how easily provoked he got, but it made him more drawn to him as it brought out more of that human vulnerability that was barely seen by anyone else. "You can pick a ride next, if you like."

 Nixon thought for a while, "Why don't we go for something a little more light-hearted? The Snow White journey can't be too bad." 

 Kissinger nodded, not really fussed at all about boarding it. The wait was not that long, and the two of them went inside the castle, not even noticing the sign above: _Snow White's Scary Adventures._

Nixon and Kissinger joined the group of people and walked into what had appeared to be the Queen's castle. Nixon examined the room with great interest. It was so much like what he had seen in the movie with his daughters. There was a cackle from the Queen in the background, which did not bother Nixon that much. It seemed to be a much tamer ride compared to the last one. Once they had sat down in the carts, they were taken through Dwarves' cottage. A cheerful song played, and Nixon chuckled, impressed and amused by the silly dwarves and animals prancing around and singing in such a manner. They then entered the diamond mine, which shone in many colours. Nixon was grinning from ear to ear. "I can see why kids love this ride so much." He said to Kissinger. 

 Just then, they had reentered the Queen's castle where she stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. But in a second, she spun around, revealing a hideous, warted face, cackling loudly. 

 "Aaah! Geez!" Nixon exclaimed, instinctively latching onto Kissinger's arm. The other man smiled smugly at the reaction, realising that Nixon had completely underestimated this ride. The cart continued to roll through the haunted forest, and as their surroundings darkened, Nixon felt his pulse accelerating. He still kept hold of Kissinger's arm, desperate to still have someone by his side. The trees each had horrific faces, which seemed to stare directly into Nixon's eyes. He tried to look away from them, panting in fright when a branch gripped him by the coat.

 "Christ! Get away from me!" Nixon shouted, struggling to untangle himself from the branch's grasp. Once he did, bats flew out from the shadows, plunging him into shock again. Kissinger bit his lip to stop himself from chuckling and instead placed a hand on Nixon's own, just like during the Haunted Mansion. Nixon's breath quickly reverted back to its normal pace and he felt so safe beside Kissinger. Without him by his side, he wasn't sure how he was going to cope on such a terrifying ride. 

 Finally, after the dwarves had defeated the evil Queen for once and for all, there was a bright flash as lightening stuck her, causing her to tumble to her doom. The ride entered the last room, to which it stopped and all the passengers made their way to the exit. Nixon looked at the giant book that was there, and felt slightly ashamed as he read the words  _And they lived happily ever after_ , complete with an image of Snow White and her beloved prince riding off to a castle. Kissinger was the prince who had basically rescued him during a time that he was so fearful, not only during the ride, but when he was hounded by the press, and when he was conflicted with his own feelings for him. Yet it was a fairytale of secrecy, rather than happiness. 

  _God damn it._ Nixon thought crossly _Why can't I get that out of my head?! Am I really a fag for thinking about him in this way?_

 Even after he had admitted his feelings for him, it was still a struggle to come to terms with it. He felt like he was going against everything he had believed in, yet at the same time, this whole affair and the trip to Disneyland felt so right. He had been so grumpy and down when alone in the White House. There were so many enemies everywhere and no one to trust, but when Kissinger was around everything was somehow not as complicated or awful. He was like a beacon of light that shone through a world of darkness and enemies…his world of darkness and paranoia. And as he held his hand, Nixon felt this light radiating off him so strongly. And it felt _good_. So good, that he felt disappointed when Kissinger had to let go when they went back outside. By now, it was much darker and Nixon needed to go on a much better ride. But he couldn't trust himself to pick another ride, knowing how badly he had judged the last one.  

 "Any thoughts?" Kissinger asked. They had sat down at a restaurant for a few refreshments before looking at the other sights. 

 "I've had enough surprises for today." Nixon sighed, "I just want to go somewhere more relaxing." 

 A waitress appeared at their side and stood patiently for an order. She studied Nixon's face and upon recognising him, looked slightly fearful. But her face cleared quickly and a smile replaced it. "What would the _Treasured Guest_ and the other gentleman like to order?"

 Nixon's dark gaze flickered straight to the young woman. He was feeling quite surprised with how much respect people were treating him with "Hello, young lady…I'd like a hot dog." 

 "I'll have whatever he's having." Kissinger answered, as she turned her attention to him. 

 "Alright! Two hot dogs coming up!" She turned around and headed back to the kitchen. 

 The president looked back at Kissinger, who looked so calm and unaffected by the ride. He felt like from all Kissinger had put up with from him, that he deserved an apology. But he was reluctant to say so.

 "Err..Henry…" Nixon muttered quietly so that the nearby diners wouldn't overhear them. The serene blue eyes turned to him and he felt himself perspire under his shirt. "...I…I'm sorry."

 Kissinger looked surprised at the apology, but gave him a small smile, which reassured him. "There is no need for an apology, Mr President." He replied. Under the table, he felt something brush against his leg, and he turned pink. Was he seducing him? Or was he simply teasing him? Nixon couldn't tell. The other man had not expressed his feelings as explicitly, yet he said so many things that just made him so weak and desperate for love. He wanted him so much, and yet there were a dozen things that were going to keep them at a distance. It was driving him insane and he needed to do something about it. Surely, in a place that was meant to be the happiest in the world, there had to be one ride that allowed a couple to do whatever they wanted without any interruptions, but what? As the minutes ticked by, these feelings of longing only deepened. They received their food and ate in silence, not knowing what to say to each other. 

 Outside, Nixon caught sight of one of the signs and found the solution to his problem. It was only after he had mustered up the courage and recover from that overwhelming surge of emotions that he was able to speak again.

 "It's a Small World sounds like a good place." Nixon said, as they continued walking.

 "But Mr President, isn't that ride mainly for children?"

 "The president can do whatever he likes." Nixon pointed out stubbornly "And if they tell us to get off, well I have the power to fire them, right?"

 "That is true. But let's prevent it from coming to that." Kissinger said dismissively. 

 After waiting for a while in the queue, they entered a room full of paper mache buildings before boarding on the back seats of the boat. Like the car in Autopia, it was rather cramped. Nixon was a little disappointed when other people began to sit in there with them, but fortunately no one sat in the same row. The ride slowly went into the tunnel and then the two men were in a charming little world, illuminated by a dozen lights. Puppets dressed in different cultural costumes danced and sung in many high-pitched voices and multiple languages. 

  _It's a world of laughter, a world of tears_

_It's a world of hopes and a world of fears_

_There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware_

_It's a small world after all…_

Nixon's eyes widened as he listened to these many voices, and laughed as the little puppet animals began to join in the song. Normally, this would have been too childish and irritating for him to listen to, yet there was something that was so different, and so comfortable about this atmosphere. He could feel Kissinger's eyes on him and sure enough, as he turned around, the other man was peering at him silently through his thick glasses. 

 "It's great, isn't it Henry?" Nixon asked, smiling at him

 "Yes it is, Mr President. A truly remarkable display." There was a small smile on the man's face, as fonder childhood memories of his home country came to mind. Watching the dancing puppets in their colourful, elaborate outfits took him briefly back to the Marienplatz* and the dancing people within the clock as it chimed. 

  _There is just one moon and one gold sun_

_And a smile means friendship to everyone_

Nixon watched the way the little boys and girls linked hands under the paper mache buildings and danced so freely without a single care in the world. They were singing and bringing together this perfect world that was without any rivalry or disputes. It was a world that was far away and unknown to the president, who had lived in so much despair, hard work and distrust for most of his life. He had longed to be a part of this place of the little children in their multicultural union, and without thinking, he took hold of Kissinger's hand. 

 Kissinger looked up instantly; gazing deeply into the dark, wishful eyes of the man he had loved so much. He leaned in close, and Nixon's heart raced in anticipation. As the boat took them to a darker corner, the music seemed to drown out every bit of interaction between the two of them. 

 "Thank you for sharing this experience with me…" Kissinger said quietly, his eyes never leaving Nixon's. 

 Nixon blushed, but was thankful that it was not so visible in the gloom. The dim lighting had brought out the blueness of Kissinger's eyes even more and once again he was lost within its depths. "I…I have to thank you." Nixon mumbled, clearly getting flustered "…you're the only person I really wanted to share this with." 

 At that, their lips found one another and they kissed gently at first, but gradually it became more passionate as soon as they made contact, and it was difficult to pull back. Nixon's hands awkwardly brushed against the back of Kissinger's neck, whilst the other stroked his face gently as they planted subsequent kisses to each other. 

 "I love you…" Nixon murmured, his hand resting against Kissinger's cheek. 

 Kissinger smiled, and gave him another kiss, this time on the forehead. "I will always love you, Richard.” he answered. Nixon wanted to hold onto him even longer, but as soon as they had came through another brightly lit section of the ride, they had to let go. But their hands were still linked even as the ride came to a close. 

  _It's a small world after all._

 It was a small world indeed, a world without anyone to scrutinise them or to judge them. A quiet, dark world that was without enemies. And both men could not have asked for anything else on this journey together. 

**Author's Note:**

> *Footnotes for historical explanations:
> 
> Monorail: This was a new ride that Nixon had actually assisted opening during the years of his Vice Presidency. The Nixon family has personally ridden in the Monorail on the day of its opening in 1959. 
> 
> Treasured Guest: A nickname given to guests who have been disruptive or rude to the staff in Disneyland. This was offered to Nixon as it was soon observed that he was pushing in line and causing trouble on the rides. Yet Nixon was completely unaware of the real meaning behind this name. 
> 
> Marienplatz: This is a central square located in Munich, Germany. The Marienplatz has a large clock tower which, when it chimes, opens to display an elaborate collection of life sized figures in 16th century dress. Although there is no intentional connection to the It’s a Small World attraction, looking at this ride does remind me of this German tourist attraction.


End file.
